Even gods failed Setty

The former minister along with his mentor was denied bail on Saturday in connection with the land denotification scam.

High drama was witnessed in the court premises on Saturday, when Lokayukta Special
Judge N K Sudhindra Rao pronounced his order. Unlike Yeddyurappa, Setty who was in the court hall, tried to escape being jailed on ‘health grounds’. Minutes after the judge pronounced the verdict, Setty ‘fainted’ in the court hall, leading to a chaotic situation.

Lawyers, policemen and others ran to fetch water, while some others brought chocolates and peppermints believing that Setty’s sugar level may have gone down. He was taken outside the court hall and made to lie on a bench in an open place. His well-wishers sprinkled water on his face and body, but Setty was so ‘unwell’ that he did not move. The ‘108’ ambulance then rushed to the spot and the medical team came with a stretcher. A medical test was conducted, which, according to sources, did not show much complications in his health.

His blood pressure was only a bit on the higher side and sugar level was also under control. Only a thorough medical test will tell us why he fainted, a paramedical staff who conducted tests on Setty, said. Later, he was taken to prison in the ambulance and was admitted to the prison hospital.

A BJP MLA from Malur, 52-year-old Setty is one of the richest law-makers in the State. Besides having land in his name, as also in the names of his wife Sunitha and children Charitha and Hemanth, the MLA showed in his election affidavit that he has a good bank balance. He used to visit Tirumala Hills often for pilgrimage.

The former minister was also involved in other criminal cases, including two cases of forgery, according to his affidavit filed with the Election Commission before the 2008 elections. There was a private complaint of forgery against him in the court of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Bangalore, booked under IPC Sections 405 and 420 pending in 2008. Another case was also pending in 2008, in which the CBI had registered a case of forgery against him under Sections 409, 419, 420, 467, 471 of the IPC.